Method and apparatus for collecting yarns



Oct. 25, 1949. l. s. ROBERTS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING YARNS Original Filed Jan. 19, 1944 INVENTOR. //VGHAM 6. #0551773 latented Uct. Zn, 1:149

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING YARNS" Ingham. S, Roberts, Bidley fark lla assignor to American Viscose Corporaliom Wilmington, Del-., .a.cnnporation of Delaware Original application January 19, 19454;Seria-l No; 518,783. Divided and this application February 25, 1947, SerialNo: 730,81!

range this type of. twistingmachine that it be send-automatically?- laced up or: threadedmhile the. machine is running and thusto make itsuse particularly advantageous incaseswhere the yarn. is delivered to the. machine continuously at ahiglr rate of speed; Heretofore'it has-beenlnecessary to. bring this type ofmachine toafull stop. to-enables the operator to safely wind theleading end of theyarn or yarns. to be twistedor doubled about the bobbin, cop tube or other yam package support.

Thisis a difiicult procedure when the yarn is being delivered rapidly and must be wound beforev becoming tangled. In addition, this procedure-is unreliable in that the leading, end frequently be-- comes loosened and unwraps from the yarn. carrier upon starting of the; machine.

An ancillary object of the invention is to pro-- vide a novel form of bobbinadapted taco-operate with the various parts of the machine to accomplish semi-automatic lacing. Another ancillary object is to provide a. package of. yarn whichwill have a tail or extension of the inside-layer. of yarn available to the outside of the package to serve as a. means of interconnecting twov packages. to facilitate subsequent continuous unwinding. Other objects and advantages will be apparent. from the drawing and the description thereof hereinafter.

In the drawing which is illustrative of the in-. vention,

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in cross-section, of the device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of. the drag. fan housing; and

Figures 3 to 5 are perspective partial-views look ing down at the top of the twister and illustrate the lacing up of the device; and

Figure 6 is an elevationof: amodified. detail.

With reference particularly to Figure 1, the twister comprises a suitable stationary support-- ing rail. 2 for thedriving motor 3. lZhe rail;.2 may support a row of the machines. though only one: is shown. A hollow shaft 4- is by the motor and is secured at its upper end to acylindrical cup or liver 5 by means of the coupling member 6. The hollow shaft. l-extends down 2 Ahollow spindle 8; is rotatably mounted within a tmverserail 9 to which is imparted vertical reciprocatory motion by conventional means. A thrust bearing. Ill supports spindle 8 upon traverse rail 5 9; The hollow spindle. 8. is rotatable and reciprocable within the hollow driving shaft 4, suitable bearings It and It being provided between the spindle 8 and members 6 and 1 respectively. The machine. also is provided with a conduit [2 con- 10 nected to a vacuum pump (not shown) The conduit has. branch connections B, each of which may-be a. valve; l 4=and terminates in a slender tube.

[5- extending. within the hollow spindle 8. The tube l5 extends upwardly a suflicient distance to. permit the. spindle 8 to make a complete traverse without-being removed from the tube. The tube l 5 is preferably madeas large as possible without interfering. with: the rotary motion of the spindle 8 within which. it extends throughout operation. Secured beneath-therail Zby means of a tubular member It, is.- a-hcylindrical housing H, provided with an opening l8 in the bottom permitting free passages of the spindle 8: and the intake of air. Withinthe-housing I! there is mounted for rotationwithspindle 8:a fan l9 comprising an upper plate 20' which carries a plurality of radial vanes 2| which may in turn be secured to an annular bottom plate 2-2.. The periphery of the housing (7 maybe provided. with one or more openings 23 (two-being shown) which may be provided with the slidable covers or dampers 24 which permit of adiustment ofthe-size of the openings 23 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The flyer 5. isprovided with an upstanding yarn guide ziinthe form of a hook. A yarn-receiving element-in the formof a bobbin 26, shown in Figures L and 3 to 5,- comprises a cylindrical body portion 21, upper and. lower flanges 28 and 29 respectively,.and an axially projecting portion 30 havingan axialpassage 3! to a chamber 32 within the-body of the bobbin. A foraminous member or screen. 33 is supported by an annular reinforcin member- 341 and defines the bottom of the chamber- 32. Another annular reinforcing member 35 near theother. end. The members 34 and 35 serve to. position the bobbin upon the hollow spindle 8, andfon this purpose the member 35 is provided with a conical portion adapted to rest snugly about an upper conical portion of the collar 36 fixedly secured to spindle 8 such as by a set screw. Thelower. face of the member 34 may comprise a conical portion to: facilitate placing the bobbin in. proper p sition on spindle 8.

through the rail 2 andcarriesasleeve memberfl... 5a The-passage M is preferably flared in the form is secured withinthe body portion of the bobbin which is cut back in a direction opposite to that in which the flyer 5 is rotated. The upper flange i 28 is provided with a notch 38, which is, cut inwardly from the edge of the flange in the direc-.- tion of rotation of the fiyer 5.

In operation during twistingror; doublingand j winding, the flyer 5 is rotated;-in=the direotion. indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 and the yarn or yarns passes or pass iromany, suitable source or guide above the twister around the outside .of hooked flyer guide and thence to the bobbin: at a position therealong controlled by the traverse mechanism. The bobbin 21 rotates as a result of friction in the bearings l l and l I but at lower speed than the liver cup 5, due to wind resistance andzto the drag-orbearing. In, The fan 19 exerts. additional drag on the spindle .8, vandthe amount otdrag can be controlled-by adjusting the covers 24. Imoperation, this dragcontrols the tension omtheyamas it is delivered to the bobbin. In

doffing-,:. theoperator cuts the advancing yarn andiallows it to go to waste for the. required interval,.arrests.;the rotation of; bobbin 25 by lightly gra'spingtheprojecting portion with a gloved hand; lifts .the. full bobbin from the spindle:8

withoutstopping the motor, places another empty bobbin in positionon the spindle. 8, cuts the yarnagain .andthen laces up the empty bobbin by any one .of.se veral techniques. In the preferred techniquephesfeeds-the .leadingend-into the passage 3|...Ifthe. valve. N is ordinarily kept closed duringroperation of :the machine, it may be opened at anytime prior to the insertion of the leading end intothe. passage 3i. Conveniently, the valve 14 may be openedjust before dofling the full bobbin;

The preferred procedure of lacing up preparatory-to twisting on a fresh bobbin-is more particularly shown in Figures 3 to v5. Figure 3 shows the leadingend .L ofthe yarn extending through passage-31. and being drawn into the chamber 32 by the suction applied through the spindle 8. Aiterallowing several feet of yarnto be drawn into. chamber-32, the operator places a rod or wand '39 on the left side of strand L, as shown iniEligure 3, and moves the rodto the rightuntil the strand engages .thenotch 3-! and begins to wind uponprojection30. After allowing-several lapsito be formed on projection 30', the operator continues the motion of the rod to the right, asshown in.Figure 4, carrying the yarn laterally of the machine, and then swings the rod and yarn downwardly, so that the latter will be across the path' oi the yarn guide 25. The yarn guide 25 catchesthe yarn which is then allowed by the operator to slip over the end of rod 39. Since the yarn-guiding bight of the hook- 25 'is-below-thelevel of flang za, the length of yarn extending" fromzthe portion .30- of-the bobbin tothe guide 25 drags .over the periphery of flange 28. Since the speed .oilguide 25 isgreater than the bobbin 26, thea-yarnis then caught in notch 38 offlange 28',

The tail comprises the several laps of the strand wound about projection 30 and the length of yarn drawn into chamber 32 in the manner described above.

Instead" oi using a rodi3$ theoperator may use his finger tmdfawathe yarn-laterally of' the machine and downwardly into the path of the guide 25.- While the lacing manipulation is shown as being efiected while the bobbin is at the lowermz-mosttpositiorrin its traverse, lacing may be effected'at any other position in the traverse, it being onlyzneeessaryrto draw the yarn a greater distance to bringdtaacross the path of guide 25.

as shownin Figure 5. From this position the yarn-proceeds to wind about the bobbin. The 7 In:the=simplest procedure, the spindle 8 need notbehollow, the. vacuum line may be omitted, andflthebobbin may be simplified by omitting the-portions 30,031,132, 33 and 31. In this procedure, it is merely necessary to provide the upper flangei tt with a tapered notch 38 or other means in which the end of the yarn may be securely caught; :After catching the .:yarn. in .the.notch'.3.8,

the operator leads. .itracross the pathof :the :hook:

guide-25 as in :Figure strand rhermayr then permit the-bobbin topick uplits ownrspeedthrough thev friction in.=the. bearingse.lll and H.

The-. cup ;-.-5 may be; replaced by any. suitable. support for the flyer guide 25, and this .support may. be; provided; witll'a balancingnmember.

Again; .while theleadingaendor 'ends'of-the yarn or. yarnseto. be twisted, onidoubled .are caught.-bynotches 3.1. and.38'-,awirerhooksanay. bersubstituted. therefor. For example; inrFigure: 6=,:.-wh.ich1.is' an elevatiomof aparttotthelperiphery of fiange29,

the notch. 38 r is; replaced. by. :thewire. :ihoolr MI comprising. aportion; 41. extending, outwardly from thenflange; ina direction approximately perpendicular. to the....plane -.ofx.the drawing. and a. portion; 42..bent;;baclc .and upwardly from: the

outerendof portion 4|. Fromtheupper end of: 152,- portion-43 mayr extend forwardly endinwardly terminate in: a.-.portion- 44,,the foot-of which is secured'lixrztheatop :of: thewflange 28;

In'. the. claims, the .wordstrandf is intended to be generic to'singles :yarns; plied yarns, cords andstheslike W-hilepreferred;- 1 embodiments are disclosed, changes. and'variatio nsmay be made-withoutdeparting fromthe spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

I'claim:

l; lnw-combination in a--- twisting machine, a strand-receiving element mounted rotatably, a flyer guide; means-for rotating the guide aboutthe element, means-for imparting relative re-- ciprocatory=motion -between-the element and theguide axially of the element, a drag fan-secured forrotation withthe element, a stationary housing about the drag fan and adjustable openingsin the housing- 2. In combination -in a twisting machine,- a strand+receiving 1 element 1 mounted l rotatably, a flyer guide extending upwardly from'a rotatable support therefor arranged beneath-the receiving element; means forrotating the-guide about the element, means for-imparting relative reciprocatory motion between'theelement and-the guide axially 'of'the-elementg a-drag fan secured for rotation with the I element, I a stationary housing about the drag fan and adjustable-openings in .the= housing;

3.3:In '.combination in aa twisting machine, a. strand-receiving element mounted rotatably, a.

flyerz guide extending-upwardly from a rotatable support therefor arranged-beneath-the receiving element; means: forsrotating the guide :aboutthe element, means for imparting relative reciprocatory motion between the element and the guide axially of the element, and adjustable means for retarding said element.

4. In combination in a twisting machine, a rotatable spindle, a strand-receiving element carried by the spindle near its upper end, a hollow shaft about an intermediate portion of the spindle, bearin means connecting the spindle and shaft for permitting relative rotation between the spindle and the shaft, a flyer guide spaced laterally of the element and connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, means for reciprocating the element axially with respect to the guide, a drag fan fixedly secured to the spindle beneath the shaft, a stationary housing about the fan, and adjustable openings in the housing.

5. In combination in a twisting machine, a rotatable spindle, a strand-receiving element carried by the spindle near its upper end, a hollow shaft about an intermediate portion of the spindle, bearing means connecting the spindle and shaft for permitting relative rotation between the spindle and the shaft, a flyer guide spaced laterally of the element and connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, means for reciprocating the element axially with respect to the guide, and adjustable means for retarding said spindle.

6. The method of collecting yarns comprising feeding yarn longitudinally into a rotating confining chamber, depositing the yarn against one surface of a foraminous member defining a wall of the chamber, and applying suction to the opposite surface during such deposition.

7. The method of collecting yarns comprising feeding yarns longitudinally through a narrow passage into a rotating confining chamber, depositing the yarn against one surface of a foraminous member defining a wall of the chamber, and applying suction to the opposite surface during such deposition.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the path a 6 of the air through the member is generally parallel to the axis of rotation. V

9. The method of claim 8 comprising the additional step of winding a subsequently delivered length of yarn about the outer wall of the chamber.

10. Apparatus for collecting yarn comprising a container having a foraminous wall, suction means outside the container for withdrawing air from within the container through the foraminous wall. a narrow passage in a wall of the container other than the foraminous wall to provide a yarn entrance adapted to direct the yarn into the container, and means for rotating the container about an axis generally parallel to the direction of the passage,

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the container has an annular peripheral wall and the foraminous wall extends transversely of the peripheral wall.

12. The method of collecting yarns on a bobbin having an axial passage extending therethrough and a transverse foraminous member in the passage spaced from one end of the bobbin comprising feeding yarn longitudinally through said end of the bobbin into the passage, applying suction to the yarn in the passage through the foraminous member, rotating the bobbin, defiecting the yarn from a direct path into the passage outwardly and axially alongside the bobbin into the path of a flyer rotating concentrically about the bobbin.

INGHAM S. ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 386,810 Gill et a1. July 31, 1888 400,502 Smith et al Apr. 2, 1889 954,012 Atherton Apr. 5, 1910 1,669,442 Bettini May 15, 1928 2,304,260 Keller Dec. 8, 1942 

